Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1887-07-28
FOR THE FARMER.
When Grass and Glover Should be Cut in
Ordsr to secure the Best Qualify
of Hay
sore Shoulders of Horses-R aising Pork
Cheaply-Sw2np Muck and Sandy
Land.
WHEN TO SECURE HAY.

CiIi NC oDtdiHCu w allowing grass TO
remain till the seed IS ripe. or Mt least
fully formed, before it is cut. The
seed Of several kinds Of grass is quite
heavy. Grass gains in weight after the
stalks have attained their full height.
Matured grass contains woody fiber
and less water than that which is ill.,
mature. 1t is also quite easy to cure
in good weather, rs there is compara-
lively little moisture to evaporate Its
keeping qualities are good. The hay
made from matured grass is not likely
to become moldy. If it is not bright
in color it is sweet, and devoid of a
musty smell. Most persons who buy
timothy hay for feeding to work ami
mails prefer that which was made from
grass that was we'll matured when it
was cut. They state that it was nearly
all eaten and digested. They regard
hay made from immature grass as too
laxative for horses that are kept at
steady work. Farmers who raise hay
for the market will find it to their adj
vantage to supply the article that buy
ers want. They will have more tons
of hay to sell from a given number of
acres if they delay harvesting till the
grass is quite we'll matured
| For milch COWS there is no doubt
about hay made from unripe or imma-
ture grass being the best. It is more
like the grass they eat in the pastures
during the summer. 1t is easy to mas
ticate and easy to digest, while it will
produce large amount of good milk.
Mich cows take little exercise during
the winter and they do not require as
solid food as work horses, mules, and
oxen do. Hay made from grass at full
| blossom has an agreeable aroma ard
flavor, which are conveyed to the milk
given by the COWS that eat it. Dairy
men prefer hay made from early cut
grass. Such hay is also preferable Tor
all kinds of growing stock. Animals
| should have tender hay to eat during
their first winter. Their teeth are not
strong, and their digestive organs have
not attained their full power Colts
and calves viii gain but little if hay
made from mature grass is their only
or principal food. They will reject
much of this kind of hay, and Il large
proportion of that which they do eat
will not be digested They Will thrive
best ON early cut hay and rowen. If
these prove to be too laxative they pre-
fer bright straw to hay made from grass
that was, cut when ripe.
. Most forage plants are nearer q stage
Of perfection at the period of full bloom
than at any other time. The blossoms
themselves, form valuable food, being
sweet and aromatic. Forage plants
ARE generally in full foliage when they
are in full bloom. Their stalks. are
then comparatively tender. Seed
forms at the expense of sap contained
in the stalks and leaves. As the bios
SONS disappear the stalks begin to
grow hard, and the leaves TO turn
yellow or fall Off. Nearly all medicinal
plants possess their highest value dur
ing the period of blossoming, and
that is the time recommended for
gathering and drying them. Most
plants used for making hay will gain
in weight if allowed to remain some
time after they have blossomed,, but
the gain in quantity is generally at aloss
in quality. There is no advantage in |
securing more tons of hay from a !
given field if large proportion of it, is
rejected by all kinds of stock or is eaten,
but rot digested. Grass should be cut
and cured at the time it possesses the |
greatest feeding value, and this will
generally be at the period of blossom
ing.
If - farmer has % very large amount |
of cultivated grass It may be impossi- |
BILE to- cut it AL when it is in the best |
condition. He may be obliged to let |
some of it stand until it is nearly ripe |
before he can secure it. He can gem
orally use it to good advantage for
feeding to his work, horses. If grass is.
unusually heavy it Is best to cut and |
cure-it before it lodges, even if it is not
advaaeed to perfect blossoms. Grass |
and clover that have blown down and |
been brought in contact with the |
ground makes vesy poor hay. The
leaves are likely tos become moldy and |
to be injurious to- stock. The stalks |
Will have yellow color and a dis
agreeable taste. Lodged grass and |
clover are very difficult to cut with a
machine or a hand-scythe. They are |
also hard to cure, and furnish very |
poor food after they have been put in |
the. barn or stack It is much easier /
to, harvest two crops of grass or clover |
that are in an upright position than one
that is blown dawn, the stalk being
broken and tangled, Now that NOW
ingg-machines and horse-rakes are in |
general use, the labor of making hay is /
light if the plants that are to be cut are
standing in thair natural position
Rich and, tolerably moist land, /
in favorabls' seasons, will often |
furnish two crops of hay. 1t generally
will if it produces variety Of grasses
and cloyers. 4 rich and moist soil will
produce large and coarse plants:if they
are allowed to grow till they reach
maturity and the hay made. from them /
will not be relshed by milch COWS or
young animals. If there are two cut |
tings instead of one, large amount of |
fine and tender hay can be secured |
that Will be very desirable for milch |
COWS and young stock of every kind. |
A thick sod of fine grasses can be |
secured by frequent cutting, Ii the |
moving field is to be converted into a |
pasture it is desirable TO cut the grass |
more than once in the season for at
least two years before the change is
made. The hay in the British island
is superior to that in most parts of this |